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(No Model.)

E. M. AIKIN.

CORN HARVESTING MACHINE.

No. 319,163. Patented June 2, 1885.

NVENTOR:

BY Mir/0MM Ute-- WITNBSSES m M /w ATTURNEYS.

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ELIAS M. AIKIN, OF DAWSON, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

CORN-HARVESTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,163, lated June 2, 1885.

Application filed March 7, 1854. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, ELras M. AIKIN, of Dawson, in the county of Kidder and Territory of Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Corn-Harvesting Machine, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of my new cornharvesting machine, taken on the line x :n of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevat-ion taken on the line y 3,/ of Fig. l, and Fig. l is a similar View taken on the linear: of Fig. l.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine for harvesting the ears of corn from cornstalks as the corn stands in the field; and the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described andv claimed.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent the rollers, which are set parallel with each other and at an angle of about forty-tive degrees with the ground, and are made coneshaped at their lower ends; and B B represent the metal plates which are set in the same plane with each other and parallel with the rollers A A, and alittle distance apart at their adjacent edges to form the space a between them, and they are beveled oil or diagonally cut away at their lower inner corners, as shown at Z1 b, to forni a Vshaped entrance or guide for the oornstalks to the passage a and between the rollers A A; and upon the plates B B are placed the endless chain-elevators C C, which pass around the sprocketwheels c c; and the arms d d of the elevators C C reach over the passage a between the adjacent edges of the plates B B, as shown clearly in Figs. 2, 3, and 1.

The sproclietwheels c c are secured upon the upper ends of the short shafts c c and cl2 c2, which are journaled, respectively, at the upper and lower ends of theplates B B.

To the lower ends of each of the short shafts o c is secured the large gear-wheelf. These gear-wheelsf are each formed with the beveled and skewed or oblique gear-teeth e and plain spur orV gear teeth e', with which latter the beveled gear-wheels g g, secured upon the upper ends of the inclined shafts D D, niesh, as shown in Fig. l. The oblique gears of the wheels f f mesh with the beveled and oblique gears h h, secured to the upper ends cf the shaft-s or gudgeons z' i of the rollers A A, and to the lower ends of the inclined shafts D l) are secured the slightly oval and beveled gear-wheels j j, which mesh with the beveled gears E E', secured, respectively, to the drive or ground wheel F and the short axle or shaft F', to which latter is secured the other drive or ground wheel, G, and the tongue H,

so that, through this gearing and shaft mechanisni, motion in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 2 and 4, will be imparted to the rollers A A and to the elevators C G when the machine is drawn over the ground by the tongue H. Y

` The short shaft or axle F forms a part of or is secured to the side frame, K, of the inaehine, which frame is composed of the diagonal arms or braces kk, side-board la', and npright post k2, (shown in Fig 1,) and the short axle F2, on which the drive or ground wheel F is journaled, is attached to yor forms a part of the side frame, L, of the machine which corresponds to frame K, and is composed of the diagonal braces Z Z, upright post Z', (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) and the side-board ZZ (shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4,) and these side frames, K L, are securely attached together at their upper ends by the string cross piece or bar M. (Shown in Figs. l and 2.)

The plates B B are placed upon the upper edges of the side frames, K L, and are held in place at their lower ends by the bolts mm, passing through slots m m', made in the said plates, and at their upper ends by the bolts o o, which pass through the slots o o', made in the castings N N, and enter the under side of the said cross-bar M, thesaid castings N being secured by rivets of to the under side of the plates B B, as shown in Fig. l, the slots m o being for the purpose of permitting the said plates B B to slide edgewise to and from each other to widen or contract the space a. between their adjacent edges, and also to vary the space between the surfaces of the rollers A A, as circumstances require.

The lower ends of the rollers A A are journaled in the blocks l? P, secured to the under surfaces of the plates B B, and the lower ends of the said plates B B and rollers A A are held pressed toward each other by the spiral springs p p, interposed between the outer surfaces of the said blocks l? P and the inner surfaces of the side boards, k Z, of the side `frames, K L, as shown in Fig. 4. The gudgeons i at the upper ends of the rollers A A are journaled in the said castings N N, as shown in Fig. 1, and these castings are held pressed toward each other by the ilat springs q q, attached at their lower' ends to the inner surfaces of the boards k Z2, and acting at their upper ends against the outer ends or side edges of the said castings N N, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The gear-wheels j j, secured to the lower ends of the inclined shafts D D, are made slightly oval, as above mentioned, and the sleeves r r, in which the lower ends of the shaft D D are journaled, are pivoted in suitable openings or blocks made in or attached to the lower edges of the braces L Z of the side frames, K L, and at their upper ends these shafts D D are journaled in the lugs s s, formed integral with the castings N N, as shown clearly in Fig. l, so that as the plates B B and rollers A A are moved from each other by the entrance to and passage of cornstalks through the passage a between the edges of the plates B B, and also toward each otheiV1 by the reaction of the springs p q, the gearing and shaft mechanism will permit this movement and the gearing yet remain in gear, so as to keep the rollers A A and elevators C C continually in motion.

In use the corn-harvester will be drawn along a row of corn, usually at the side of a wagon, and in such manner that the cornstallrs will be gathered by arms d into the V- shaped guide at the lower end of the/machine, and will enter between the plates B and rollers A, which latter act to draw the cornstalks through the passage a, causing the plates to nip the ears of corn off from the cornstalks, and cause the ears of corn to drop upon the plates B, where they will be caught by the arms d of the elevators C and carried to the upper end of the machine, whence they will fall into a wagon-box or other receptacle, while the cornstalks will pass between the plates B and rollers A and remain behind.

Having thus described :my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In acorn-harvester, the eonibinatiomwith a supporting-truck, of the inclined rollers A, journaled in the same and provided with the gearwl1eels IL on their upper ends, the springs p Q, the plates B, having beveled forward ends, b, and adjustably supported above the said rollers, the elevators C, provided with the arms d, shafts c, provided with the sprocketwheels c, and the gear-wheels e e', the inclined shafts D, provided with the gear-wheel g, and means for operating the said shafts by the forward movement of the truck, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a corn-harvesting machine, the combination, with the rollers A, elevators C, and oblique shafts D, of the axles F F2, the drivewheel F, provided with the bevel-gear E, the bevel-wheel E on the axle F', the drive-wheel G, and the tongue H, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combinatiomwitli the plates B. rollers A, and elevators C, of the gears E E, oblique shafts D D, and suitable gearing for revolving the rollers A and operating the elc vators C, substantially as described.

ELIAs M. AIK'IN.

XVi tn esses:

Gno. XV. Guise, C. S. AIIUN. 

